Site description A natural firth on the Black Sea coast in north-western Bulgaria, near the Romanian border. The water is fringed with reedbeds of Phragmites, Typha and Schoenoplectus, and is surrounded by arable land and plantations of Populus, Fraxinus and Prunus. The water-level varies widely, due to demand for irrigation and household-consumption in summer. There are some groups of Salix trees around the lake, and scrub to the south-west is dominated by Paliurus, Crataegus and Rosa.

Key Biodiversity The site is of global importance for wintering Branta ruficollis, Anser albifrons and Phalacrocorax pygmeus, and also important for some other wintering or migrating waterbirds, e.g. Cygnus olor. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Anser erythropus (max. 5 on passage and in winter).